Big Sister Photoshoot! -We are having another baby!

BIG SISTER!
Yes! Alicia is a big sister!

We are so excited to share our news and ask for you to please keep us in your prayers! 

I had a feeling, even before we knew for sure, that there was another sweet baby growing inside of me.  I was so sure in fact, that I took these photos more than a week before finding out! 

I have been trying to get some fun photos at the beginning of every month. I'm definitely no pro, but I hope to get better over time, and, I LOVE doing it ;D So, these pictures are in fact, Alicia's 5 month photos. These two sweethearts will be 14 months apart, and we couldn't be more thrilled. 

I am hoping to be better about week-by-week photos (I think I started being consistent with Alicia at about 4 months in), and I am really wanting to write a little "bump journal" as well. I think it would be such a precious keepsake.

happy sigh...It is all still sinking in.  I am not sure if miscarrying our first is making me cautious about letting it sink in, or if the fact that I am still waiting for the dreaded morning sickness to set in that it is making it hard for me to fully grasp that another sweet baby is growing inside of me.

We talked about whether or not to let others know this early in the pregnancy, but, whatever God has planned for this little one, we decided we want to let others know about the blessing of this sweet soul and celebrate his/her life from the very beginning. 


Early Days...

So far, I've had random nausea spurts- mostly when I'm uncomfortably hot, and when there is nothing on my stomach...so I've been snacking, a lot... ;-)

The most noticeable changes have been a super heightened sense of smell (even more than with Alicia), constant hunger, occasional nausea spurts, and my belly isn't going down like it was before ;-). I was just a few lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight when we found out :P :-)

 I plan on trying to exercise more this round (hoping and praying). Getting a routine down seems to be the hardest thing for me. Any of you mommas have a few good tricks to staying in shape during pregnancy? What things did you try and make sure to get in everyday? What exercises did you find helped with back pain? (I can tell mine is already starting)

Thank you for all your best wishes and prayers! We truly appreciate each and every one!

Organizing & Cleaning Inspiration! - My Pinterest To-Do list ;-)

I love being organized. But I am one of those people that has things for almost every kind of craft or project, so being organized can be a challenge.  I have been completely organized though! I truly have! And I love looking back on those days...Everything in its place, everything pretty and organized.  I have had a hard time getting organized since I got married.  All of a sudden their is twice the amount of stuff and then baby comes along and you have all things baby to organize as well.
Well, I am still determined to get organized, and I thought I would share some things that are helping to inspire and motivate me to get it done! I've picked 4 areas that I really want to master in our apartment before I move onto other things...

#1

My Thinking Spot

 

I've been wanting to get my sewing/crafting/scheduling/planning(etc ;-) ) space organized.  I am loving everything dry erase friendly for my planning needs right now.  I used photo frames in my kitchen (dry erase markers work awesome on them) and printed out a blank month sheet and a blank sheet with 'Shopping List' on it and framed them (You can find the tutorial here ).  I am loving them! I use them every single day!
 

 #2

 Utilize My Small Spaces

 

In any home the art of using your space wisely is something to master, but I think this is especially true if you live in an apartment. I am so thankful that we have quite a few closets in our place, unfortunately, they seem to fill up way to quickly! 

Something I've noticed in almost all homes and apartments is that the space under counters and sinks is always huge and has FEW-to-NO shelves for storage.  This leads to lots of unused, wasted space, but it doesn't have to be if you know how to get creative with it! Little stand up shelves, stacked baskets, or tension rods like in the picture above free up space and help keep things organized and accessible. I am hoping to give some ideas like this a try in each bathroom and in the kitchen. Might post a picture with the finished product ;-)

 #3

Clean & Tidy Fridge

 The fridge...that small area of your home that you wish would just stay clean, because honestly, who enjoys cleaning the fridge?  I've been wanting to figure out a few ways to make it harder for the fridge to become dirty, and while I've been using a container idea like this for a while, I am planning on using more, almost like drawers, to save space and keep my fridge a little cleaner.

 #4

 Consistency With My Cleaning

 I have been terrible about doing a little cleaning here and there to cut down on the amount that needs done at once. I end up needing a big cleaning day.  

I love this cleaning schedule by tipsandpix.  It is so much more manageable to know what you are doing and on what day so that you don't become overwhelmed with everything all at once.  I will let you know how it goes!

More organizing ideas can be found on my pinterest board, Get Organized!! Make sure to check out some of my other boards for cleaning (Look at board, Handy Home Help) and other fun DIY ideas!

#Babylove

Baby date :D She couldn't take her eyes off of him. haha :D

Weekend is only one day away! Enjoy!

First Week of August, 2013 - Baking and DIYs

 I've been making cloth diapers for our little one.  I've done a little research on the different designs.  The design I decided on is a little different, but similar to the Bum Genius brand. The biggest problem I have had with cloth diapers is that they either are thin, and leak, or overly bulky, but catch most everything.  I have been playing with the design to see if I can fix the problem and find a nice medium.  Any thoughts or advice, cloth diaper mamas?

(Most diapers look a little different than the finish product I'm showing here. This one is a size S while the rest I did with the one-size fit all idea, I'm liking them a lot more. I will post some pictures when they are all finished!)

My sewing buddy, Aja.  She knows she is not supposed to be on any tables, but she likes to be close to me so she jumped up on the table and tried to hide :-) lol.

I've been wanting to try this out for a while. I've had several wooden object (I got each for $1. Some are from dollar store some are from Joann's) that I planned on painting with chalk board paint (How to make your own, here). I've had the supplies for a while, just haven't set aside the time to try it out.  This past week I decided to make it happen, and I did! I'm really happy with how they have turned out, and I can't wait to do a few more fun things for around the home :-) (some may end up on my etsy site! :D)

I made these cookies TWICE this past week because they were so good!

Use your favorite chocolate chip recipe (you can try my favorite here) and add chunks of Reeses to it. SO YUMMY!

 And something new and fun; Homemade Carnival Corndogs! They were amazing! I've never been a big fan of corndogs, but for some reason I was craving them and wanted to see if I could make some, so I gave it a shot! Mission accomplished! These were soooooo goooood. (Planning on putting together a blog on the recipe I used ;-) )

Hope Monday has been easy on you! You can smile, it's over! Have a good rest of the week! You are one day closer to the weekend! ;-)

My Favorite Kitchen Seasonings!

I have an assortment of seasonings that are not the run of the mill, salt, pepper, garlic salt, etc.  Some I grew up with and others I have added over the past few years.  My husband and I love a little spicy kick in our food, as I think you will see ;-).
These are some of the seasonings I use on a regular basis.

Make sure to check out the yummy recipes at the bottom as well!
And some baby cuteness...always fun. :-)

 

I love a good seasoning.  Having some awesome seasonings that you love can make your meal planning and making SO much easier and faster! 

These are what we like.

As I said, my husband and I like it a little spicy.

I'd say at least two of these are used on a daily basis (in particular the N'Orlean's Cajun and Tony's Creole...yum, yum!)

So, on the spicy list, we have.

Franks RedHot

Weber, N'Orlean's Cajun

Stubb's Pork Spice Rub

(Stubb's BBQ is really good as well...not spicy- ;-) )

&

Tony Charcher's Creole Seasoning

Here is a closer look :-)

Yeah, I know it does take a pretty picture. As you can see it is hard to ever have a full bottle around here...it goes fairly fast. (we even add this to our pizza sometimes. SO GOOD!)

Our Favorite use for the BBQ rub is on Crock Pot Pork Shoulder. Simple,
not overwhelming, great flavor. 

 

Tony's Creole-says it is great on everything...I would have to agree, pretty much an awesome addition to any fish or meat for a little kick.

 

Spike. Such an awesome seasoning. I highly recommend this to be in every kitchen cabinet.  My favorite use has to be on chicken.  It was a regular (and as I put on the picture, family favorite) to have chicken and rice seasoned with spike growing up.  Another favorite use (especially as kids) was to melt a slice of cheese on toast and sprinkle a little spike on top.

(Give it a shot! You will thank me! ;-) )

 

This is a great seasoning for any type of pasta dish. Also terrific on fries!

 

Making a tuna salad or sandwich? Add some Mrs. Dash for some great flavor!

 (This is a Friday regular!)

 

Toronto Steak & Chicken Rub is the newest addition to our cabinet.

I used it this past weekend on a whole chicken (pictured below)...it was so good!!!!! 

My husband's immediate response after tasting the chicken "This is good, Babe! Really good!"

Here are some instagram pictures I took of a few of our meals from this past week.

 

 This chicken was pretty simple and we were very happy with the flavor!

I put half a bunch of garlic (4-5 some cloves) and one sliced apple inside, I then mixed butter, Toronto seasoning and just a little Creole and rubbed it onto the chicken underneath the skin (I also rubbed a little inside). I put a little water in the pan along with potatoes and carrots, and cooked in a 350 oven for about an hour and a half.  

This is fried flounder with green beans and corn.

I make my own batter to fry my meats and fish.  I have tried a few different things, and although the seasonings I use may vary (depending on what I'm going for),  this particular combination is great for fish, chicken or fried steak.

I use a flour mixture and an egg/milk mixture to make the yummy fried goodness.

The flour mixture most used is: flour, Cajun seasoning, Creole, garlic powder or salt (depends on how salty you want it), and sometimes a little spike (I use more spike when I am doing fried steak).

Egg mixture is just that, an egg with some milk (maybe 1c. to 1 egg).

 Have both mixtures (separately) in a big enough bowl or pan to lay flat.

Take the fish, put it in the egg and milk. Be sure it gets completely coated in it.

Then, do the same in the flour mixture. You may need to sprinkle it as you coat it in it as well.

Fry for at least 4 minutes (2 on each side-you can always test a piece, like I did, to make sure that it is enough time for it to completely cook)

 Serve with veggies and enjoy!

 

Hope you have a good week! 

Monday is over! Smile!

This Past Week's Reading List

I enjoy a variety of reading subjects.  Most of my reading comes from articles and posts shared by friends. I read them during spare moments here and there, and usually in parts.  These are some that I enjoyed this past week. 

In no particular order...

1. "My child is gifted. He's also 29, unemployed, and living in my basement"

From - The Matt Walsh Blog

Do you ever read an argument by someone and immediately like them because of their response? That is how I felt after this article :-) It is some good common sense. I am so grateful for the chores and duties my parents gave me growing up. I even remember from an early age how proud of myself I felt after tackling a task I thought was beyond me.

2. 21 Tips for Survival Mode

From - Conversion Diary(blog)

Loving her blog. She is new to me but I am excited to keep up with her!

3. My Year of Modesty

From - Salon

Very interesting article.  About a Woman's nine month experiment of changing the way she dressed to see how it effected her and those around her.

4. To Build a Culture of LIfe, We Need Saints!

From - Life Site News

Gives a recognition of how far our world is deteriorating and calls Catholics to strive for sanctity to fight the evils of the world through encouraging words from our Holy Father, Pope Francis. The last line of the post explains it so well "If we want a Culture of Life, if we want to end the evils threatening life, if we want to end abortion, then…We need saints!"

5.The "Prophecy" of Bella Dodd

From - fatima perspectives - The Fatima Network

This one is pretty heavy. I will even give you a warning before you jump into this one,..if you haven't heard of Bella Dodd, or don't have any knowledge of the spiritual war between the Communists and Catholics, then this is going to be an eye opener...But it is an excellent read and something all Catholics should be aware of.

6. 23 Exceedingly Helpful Tips for Maintaining Your Sanity While Living with Children

From - Alpha Mom(blog)

This one kept me smiling.  Another mom that I am excited to follow!

Happy reading!

Little bit of Life...

For weeks, no, really for months I have been trying to exercise more. So, last week it went to the top of the to-do list and was the first thing that Anthony and I did when he got home from work.  We enjoy going together whenever we can, even if it is just a walk.

  I am greatly enjoying the little gym provided by our apartment complex, and it has worked out really well for us to be able to go as a family. Alicia just plays quietly in her stroller with her wipes (favorite toy at present) and watches mommy and daddy :-)

Only 4lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight and I am super excited!

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Simple and Cheap DIY's for the 4th of July

On a budget? Yeah, me too. And that can be really hard around the holidays, especially when you love doing crafts and decorating...but, it can also inspire your creativity!

My husband and I both like saving money, but we both love gatherings, parties, game nights...I guess you could say we are both people persons :-)

Here are some easy and cheap DIYs I put together for this 4th of July

I thought I would show different ways you can work with some basic things, some you might already have around the house!

1. My big DIY for the 4th - This Paperclip Flag Wreath. I only Spent $1!

I already had a pack of clothespins (It took 43 pins) and paint (I've had the paint since High School, believe it or not :P).  I only spent $1 for the circular plaque in the middle.

(I'm guessing the clothespins might be around $5 for the big pack - I got them at Walmart quite a while back.. They come in handy all the time and are worth having some around...just look at the fun wreath I made with some of them! :D)

2.  Red, white and blue rice + tea light

This one is really simple.  I selected the glass I wanted to use, filled it with rice, and then divided up the rice as I wanted in 3 plastic cups. Add red color to one cup and mix well. Then add blue to another and mix well. The third cup remains plain. Pour them one on top of the other into your selected "candle holder" in the order you desire and whala! Just add the tea light and you are set!

3. Ways to display/set your silverware

 I love the cup, napkin, and silverware are all in one here...It looks cute, festive, and simple.


You could decorate a jar by painting or using ribbon. 
Makes a cute addition to your buffet table.

Or the simple, roll the silverware in the napkin...
(Or roll up the napkin and stick in the silverware like I did here, haha :-) )

4. Napkin fun...I chose a star...or flower? lol It is my attempt at a star anyway. :-)

I bought the flag fabric at Walmart for under $2 a yard and just cut big squares to make my napkins...sewing the edges will have to come later. I also still have some left over fabric that I have some ideas for.

There are more napkin folds with links on how-to on one of my earlier blogs here.

4. Use ribbon

You can spruce up just about anything with a little ribbon. :-) 

5. Red, white or blue dishes...even if they have a pattern of some kind, if they are in those colors then you can probably work them in ;-)

6. Paper Flowers

Top left are handmade paper flowers. I had the white ones and made the red.

7. Use some fabric in red, white or blue over your table as a runner or table cloth.

These are simple. It's not a huge collection of decorations, but they were fun and it was what I had time to do this year.  The fun part is that I will be able to add to what I have every year and hopefully have a really fun assortment after a few years.

This shows what I made...I will show how I use them for the 4th festivities later and add the pics below :-)

Have a blessed Independence day!

Best Tabula Recipe EVER

My mom is an awesome cook.  I have been blessed to have had her patience and skill in the kitchen guiding me growing up. Sometimes that patience and care can make an OK dish a "Wow, that's amazing" kind of dish.  I think that Tabula is one of those dishes!

 My mom has lots of amazing recipes, and as time passes, and I get more of the hang of married life and motherhood, I find I call her more and more about how she does this or that or what her secret was to making such-and-such recipe soooo yummy. 

 Well, for the 4th, I have decided to share some of my mother's skill along with one of our favorite family recipes, TABULA! It is seriously amazing! Even our extended family ask if we can make it when they visit!

We are not one of those families that likes to keep our favorite recipes a secret...we LOVE sharing them with everyone!

Tabula Salad

What you will need:

1 1/2 c. Bulgar Wheat

1 Bunch Green Onions

2 Cucumbers

3 Tomatoes

1 Bunch Parsley (Chopped FINELY!)

1/2 c. Oil

1/2 c. Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Salt

Mix all and let set for at least 2 hours, or overnight (I recommend overnight)

The secret to a really great Tabula? Chop EVERYTHING as FINE as you possibly can! It is time consuming, but will make a world of difference! A few more tips and tricks below :-)

These are pics I took earlier this afternoon :D 

We are having this Tabula tomorrow!

Slice and dice that cucumber!

Onion

and those challenging tomatoes...

Now here is where that patience is really going to pay off. And one of the most important things that makes this Tabula so great. Pinch off the Parsley before you chop! You don't want the stems...they only make the Tabula seem stringy.

After you have pinched the whole bunch, grab and squeeze them together and chop them as fine as you can.

Combine Everything, and you are done! I flatten it out the top to help it absorb better, then just pop it into thee fridge. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or if you are able to then make it the day before you want to serve it so that all the flavors really come together.

And that's it! Well, it might not seem like much, but give yourself the afternoon to get all the chopping done ;-)

Enjoy!